Fertilizer-distributer.



. PATENTED FER-24, 1903.

F. L. ATWOOD. FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER. APPLICATION FILED NOV.13, 1902.

10 MODEL.

Ill

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS L. ATWOQD, OF SHADYGROVE, KENTUCKY.

FERTlLlZER-D'ISTRIBUTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 721,272, dated February24, 1903.

Application filed November 13, 1902. Serial No. 131,24b. (N model.)

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, FRANCIS L. ATWOOD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Shad ygrove, in the county ofOrittenden and State ofKentucky, have invented a new and usef 111 Fertilizer-Distributor, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of 'fertilizer-distributers whichare carried and operated by hand for the purpose of depositing thefertilizing material in the exact spots where its presence is requiredand it' has for its object to provide a device of the class which shallpossess superior advantages in point of simplicity, durability, andgeneral efficiency,which shall be light, so as tobe easily carried,which shall be so arranged that the exact quantity of fertilizingmaterial required may be deposited at each operation, in which thegradation of quantity may be easily, swiftly, and accurately adjusted,iand the simplicity of the construction of which shall be such asto render it not liable to get out of order by reason of continued use.7

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in theimproved construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, which willbe hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of afertilizer-distributor constructed in accordance with myinvention. Fig.2 is a vertical sectional view of the same: Fig. 3 is asectional planview taken on the line 3 3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan takenon the line 4 tin Fig.2. Fig. 5 is a perspective detail view of one ofthe conical Spreaders. Fig. 6 is a detail plan of the blank from whichsaid spreaders are manufactured.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated by similarnumerals of reference. r

The body of my improved fertilizer distributor is a box the upper partof which constitutes the hopper 1 and the lower part thedistributing-chamber 2, the said hopper-and distributing chamber beingseparated by a partition 3. The top compartment 1 is preferably squarein cross-section, while the distributing-chamber is tapered toward itslower end, as will be clearly seen in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. Thesides of the hopper are extended upwardly to form brackets 4, connectedby a handle 5, by means of which the device may be conveniently carriedby the operator;

A partition 6, arranged a short distance above the partition 3,constitutes the bottom of the hopper, which is provided with a pluralityof perforations 7, which, as seen in Fig. 30f the drawings, may be ofvarying sizes.- These perforations constitute the measuring-cups for thefertilizing material, and adjacent to each perforation is a pivotedslide 8, which when desired may be disposed over the perforation so astocover the same and form a temporary cut-off. Several .of the slidesare provided with upwardly-extending arms 9, having bearings in staples10 upon the inner walls of the hopper-chamber and-extended above theupper edge-of the latter, where they are provided with handles 11,:bymeans'of which they may be manipulated, so as to regulate the capacityof the device while the hopper is filled with fertilizing material. Thisfeature will be found to be a great convenience in enabling the operatorto gage the quantity of each deposit while the machine is being used.

Pivotally supported upon the partition 3, below the. bottom of thehopper, is the cut-0E disk 12, which is provided with a plurality ofperforations 13, which correspond in size and location with theperforations 7 in the bottom of the hopper with which they are normallyin alinement.

--to limit the oscillation of the cut-0E disk, as

will be readily understood;

Suitably secured to one of the inner walls of the distributing-chamber 2is a bearingplate 17, to which is pivoted a bell-crank lever, the upperarm of which, 18, extends The partition-plate 3 is like- .wise providedwith perforations 14. of sizes through a slot 19 in the partition 3 andis connected with the oscillating cut-off disk by means of a link 20.The lower arm 21 of the bell-crank lever is connected by aretractingspring 22 with the side of the casing. The latter is providedwith brackets 23, supporting a vertically-movable slide 24, whichextends below the lower edge of the casing and the upper end of which isconnected by an arm 25 with the free end of the lower arm of thebell-crank lever. It will be understood that by forcing or moving theslide 24 in an upward direction the bell-crank lever will be operatedagainst the tension of the retracting-spring, thus oscillating thecut-01f disk upon its pivot. When the upward pressure upon the slide isdiscontinued, the tension of the retracting-spring will restore theparts to normal position.

On the under side of the partition 3, below each of the openings 14,spreading-cones 26 are arranged, as seen in Figs. 2 and 4. Thesespreading-cones are constructed of sheet metal in a manner which will bereadily understood by reference to Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, eachcone embodying in its constrnction a sector-shaped blank 27, having anarm 28 extending from one of its sides, as shown. When the sector-shapedblank is bent to form the cone 26, the arm 28 will extend above the apexof the cone and may then be bent so as to form a bracket 29, which isperforated, as at 30, to receive the pins or tacks whereby the said coneis supported in position upon the under side of the partition. Theseconical spreaders, which may be constructed and applied at a triflingexpense, serve to loosen and scatter the fertilizing ma terial as itescapes through the openings in the partition 3.

The operation of this device and its advantages will be readilyunderstood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with thedrawings hereto annexed. The material to be distributed is placed in thehopper, one or more of the perforations in the bottom of the latterhaving been previously closed by means of the slides Sin case it shallbe desired to work the device at less than its full capacity. A covermay be provided for the hopper; but this is not deemed necessary. As theoperator carrying the device by the handle 5 progresses over the fieldhe presses the device downwardly at the points where it is desired todeposit the fertilizing material. The upward movement of the slide 24thus caused serves to operate the bell-crank lever against the tensionof the spring 22, thus oscillating the cut-off disk 12, the perforations13 in which have become filled, by gravity, with a portion of thecontents of the hopper through the openings or cups 7, with which theperforations 13 are normally in alinement. The oscillating movement ofthe disk carries the perforations 13 into alinement with thedischarge-openings let, thus causing their contents to drop upon thespreading-cones 26 and thence down through the distributing-chamber uponthe ground. It will be observed that the walls of thedistributing-chamber ahford a complete protection against the wind,which might otherwise carry away a portion of the fertilizing materialfrom the spot where it is desired to deposit it. As soon as the downwardpressure upon the casing is relaxed the tension of the retracting-springrestores the slide 24 and the bell-crank lever, as well as theoscillating disk 12, to normal position at which the perforations insaid disk are in alinement with the perforations in the bottom of thehopper. Those of the cut-off slides 8 which are provided withupward-extending handles may be manipulated at any time to gage thequantity of each deposit.

While I have in the foregoing described a preferred construction of myinvention, I desire it to be understood that I do not limit myselfeither with regard to structural details, relative proportions, ormaterial used in the manufacture of the device, but reserve the right toany changes and modifications which may be resorted to without departingfrom the spirit or scope of my invention or sacrificing the utility ofthe same.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a device of the classdescribed, acasing comprising a hopper and a distributingchamher, thelatter tapered toward its lower end, partitions, spaced apart, at theupper end of the distributing-chamber and the lower end of the hopper,said partitions being provided with staggered perforations, anoscillating cut-01f disk pivotally mounted between said partitions andhaving perforations disposed to aline with those in either partition,check pins and stops to limit the oscillation of the cut-oh. disk, abell-crank lever pivoted to an inner wall of the distributing-chamberand extending through a slot in the lower partition, a link connectingthe upper end of said bell-crank lever with the oscillating cutoif disk,a retracting-spring connecting the lower arm of said bell-crank leverwith the wall of the distributing-chamber and a vertically-movable slidepivotally connected at its upper end with the lower arm of the bellcranklever and having its lower end extended below the lower edge of thedistributingchamber.

2. In a device of the class described, :1 casing, partitions spacedapart within the same and having staggered perforations, a cut-oil. disksupported pivotally between said partitions, means for oscillating saidcut-ofl: disk, means for limiting the extent of the movement of saiddisk and individual slides disposed adjacent to the perforations in theupper partition.

3. In a device of the class described, a hopper having a bottom providedwith a plurality of perforations forming discharge-cups, and slidesdisposed adjacent to each of said cups for closing the same, one or moreof said 5. In a device of the class described, a

slides being provided with upward-extending speading-cone composed of asector-shaped arms having operating-handles. blank having an armextending from one of 15 4. In a device of the class described, a casthesides thereof,to formasupporting-bracket.

5 ing having a perforated partition and means In testimony that I claimthe foregoing asfor intermittently dropping fertilizing matemy own Ihave hereto affixed my signature in rial from a superimposed hopperthrough the lthe presence of two Witnesses. perforations in saidpartition, in combination 1 with spreading-cones supported upon the unlB RANCIS ATWOOD' 1o der side of said partition, one beneath eachWitnesses:

perforation and in the path of the material I E. R. YOST, dischargedtherefrom. J. B. SIMPSON.

